The EthanRandBand

When I moved to New York City in 1999 I thought I'd get a sweet band together and start rocking right away. But I didn't know how easy it would be to get waylaid by all the inconveniences and attractions of life in the big city. In between supporting myself as a writer and trying to find a social life in this swirling, indiscriminate meatgrinder I lost my way a bit. Sure, I played a few solo gigs here or there. But I just didn't find the focus to pull a band together until almost two years later when I started jamming with bassist, Cayse Cheatham. We spent the winter drinking Budweiser tallboys, eating Thai take-out and learning my songs in his Greenpoint flat. Ultimately we hooked up with Phil Ryan, a drummer who we knew through work. Together the three of us formed the Ethan Rand Band.

A quick point about the name: In the years since I'd been with Carbon Based Souls and the Our Smiling Jesus Band I'd given some thought to how I wanted to organize my next project. That is to say, I was tired of trying to run a band by committee. I think that's what breaks up a lot of bands, well, it certainly was my experience anyway. So I figured, the next band would be a project to do my songs how I saw fit. I'd encourage my bandmates to create parts and interpret the music in a way that satisfied them. And yet I'd make it clear that I was the band leader (even if it meant putting in the most money, doing the booking, the promotions etc myself) in order to have the band pursue a singular vision. The name "Ethan Rand Band" drove home that point none too subtly!

Anyway, we had a really good time together for a couple years -- we even added keyboardist, Jordan Yaruss and for a brief spell Megan, a singer, joined us.

The band ultimately morphed into the Shoots when Cayse left in order to move to Atlanta where he continues to pursuer his dream of perfecting a 32-flavor line of diaper rash ointments. From what I hear, fudge-banana-swirl is gaining popularity in the marketing trials.

Without further ado, some songs...

• You're that Stupid Kid
• Floating Away
• More Blood than Beer
• This Isn't Rocket Science

• Crosseyed Farmer's Prayer
• This Isn't Rocket Science
• You're that Stupid Kid
• She Counted to One
• Parallel Life
• Stan
• Stealing Kisses
• Santa Claus